The Carmine Conundrum
by Lady Artimes Blaine
Summary: Captain Jim Kirk and his crew are in for a crash course in spatial and temporal mechanics when half Gallifreyan/half human Artz saves them from hostile aliens. She holds many secrets, some that will shake up the Enterprise and others that will shake up the captain. This is an adventure filled with mystery, mayhem and perhaps a little romance. *Follows Sparkling Crimson*
1. Chapter 1: Remember, Remember

Lady A: Hello Everyone! Welcome to The Carmine Conundrum! If you have not read the prequel, Sparkling Crimson, then please do so now. If you don't, you will be wondering what the heck is going on. Now onto the insanity of my Doctor Who / Star Trek: Into Darkness crossover story!

Lock: *crawls out of bed and slinks over to her computer* Why are you typing this at 8 am? *yawns*

Lady A: I forgot the bug exterminator was coming today at the absolutely horrific hour of 9 am. This is keeping me awake long enough to supervise since mum had to go to work. *yawns herself*

Lock: *mumbles something about sunlight being evil*

Lady A: *grumbles her agreement* On with the show!

* * *

Chapter One: Remember, Remember

* * *

Two years…two very long years since that incredible night. The night that had changed him in so many ways. After he and his crew had returned to the ship, Bones had discovered a very strange energy flowing through every cell in the captain's body. The odd thing was that the energy was hurting him in any way, but rather protecting him. After almost two days of testing, the chief medical officer deemed him fit for duty, despite the energy still being present

Jim sat in his quarters drinking some very old Scotch, a parting gifting from his mentor, the late Christopher Pike. He replayed the message he had received less than week after his encounter with the crimson haired woman. It was from Captain Pike, the date indicating that he recorded it about six months prior to the Khan incident.

"Jim, if you're seeing this that means two things: the first being that I'm dead…try not to get too choked up about it and the second is that you have met a woman simply known as Artz. By now, it has been discovered that there is a non-threatening energy coursing through your body. There is no reason to be alarmed. That energy will protect you until such time that it has deemed you unworthy. I know you have questions about her, about the energy, but in all honesty, Jim, I don't know a lot of the answers so you'll have to get them from her.

No doubt you are curious about how I know her. I met her a long time ago, shortly after I had been assigned to my first ship. Like you, I met her and was drawn to her. In fact, the Scotch was a gift from her so enjoy it. I can tell you that Artz is half human, but her other half is a mystery and is classified at the highest level. I do know that her people are allies of the Federation. She has a long and truly mind boggling past and I have a feeling that you will see her again.

I remember when she told me about you, the delinquent with the brain of a genius. That's right, Jim. She's the one who brought you to my attention and said that talent like yours shouldn't be wasted. She has a knack for finding truly unique individuals and giving them the chance to explore their potential.

She was always asking about you and I told her all the crazy stunts you pulled, both in the Academy and as a captain. It made her happy, knowing that you were doing so well. I don't think I've ever seen her laugh so much. Like you, she doesn't believe in a no win situation and always looks for the craziest solutions that are known and not known to man. She's the impossible woman, capable of doing impossible things.

I know that there will be times that you are overwhelmed by everything that she is sharing with you; about herself, her ship, and her past, but she's worth it, Jim. Honest to God, she's worth it. My friendship with her help me discover and define the person I am today and if given the chance, she'll do the same with you.

Believe in her, Jim. Never let that faith waver because no matter how strong she appears to be on the surface, she is much more fragile than you think. Hold fast to the things you experience with her and never let her go. Take care of her, Jim, because she needs someone and I honestly believe that someone is you.

Pike out." The message clicked off.

And for two years, he dreamt of her. The place where she always appeared was completely impossible. It had a forest, a control room, a giant library, a swimming pool, an ocean, a star going supernova, a kitchen, an assortment of bedrooms, and even a room that contained the cryotubes of Khan and his crew. He didn't really believe that last one.

Jim closed his eyes and focused on the energy that still flowed within him. It hummed through his body in its own melody and beat alongside his heart. The energy had never waned. It was still as strong as it was back then. Its constant warmth reminded him every moment of every day and night of the crimson haired woman that turned his world upside down.

"Remember, remember." The captain whispered.

* * *

Lady A: *yawns* There you go. Be on the lookout for Chapter 2: Spacial Rift. *curls up next to Lock and goes back to sleep*

Lock: Leave a review or I'll slap you. *goes back to sleep*


	2. Chapter 2: Spatial Rift

Lady A: Three cans of coke and a pizza later and I am finally awake. Welcome back to TCC! Things were kind of depressing in the last chapter, but don't worry. In the next few chapters, you'll be looking for the emergency brake. *grins evilly*

Lock: *walks in with a cup of tea in her hand* What have you done this time, Watson?

Lady A: *smirks* You'll see.

Lock: *frowns then just sips her tea*

* * *

Chapter Two: Spatial Rift

* * *

The Enterprise was currently on route to the Vedaron system at the suggestion of a cargo ship captain they had helped a few days prior. He had informed them of a mineral that could improve the efficiency of the dilithium matrix. When he was asked why he was offering such valuable information to them, he told the Starfleet captain of his knowledge of a certain crimson haired woman. Lady Crimson was known throughout the galaxy as 'The Warrior', a savior of worlds in search of 'her chosen', whatever that meant.

Jim was currently sitting in the captain's chair looking over some reports handed to him by his first officer. The Vulcan was suggesting that the crew be allowed shore leave soon as a means to improve overall efficiency and ship's morale. He was inclined to agree because of the recent up surge of reports where people had started snapping at each other. The crew was running kind of ragged. He needed to find a nice M class planet or a hospitable species that would allow them access to their world for his crew's recreational needs.

"Captain, I'm picking up some strange gravitational distortions in the area." Chekov informed frowning at the console in front of him.

Before the captain could respond, they dropped out of warp unexpectedly near an asteroid belt. Several people wound up on the floor including the captain. He returned to his feet and pressed the comm button on the captain's chair.

"Scotty, what happened? Why'd we drop out of warp?" He asked.

"I don't know, Captain. Some type of gravitational surge shorted out the warp conduits and destabilized our warp field." The chief engineer responded, "As of now, we have impulse, but I need time to replace the conduits before we'll have warp capability again."

"Understood. Get on it." Jim ordered before deactivating the comm.

He looked over at Spock who was currently utilizing the sensory equipment of science station one.

"What do we know about that asteroid belt?" The captain asked.

"The belt itself is several kilometers long and has an assortment of asteroids rich in adamite, aluminite, and hematite minerals. However, there is a strong nexus of gravitational forces converging near the center of the belt and I believe that it was this phenomenon that caused us to drop out of warp." Spock answered turning to face the captain.

Jim turned around and faced the view screen.

"Mr. Sulu, take us into the asteroid belt, one eighth impulse, full sensor scans. Bring the shields up and place us on yellow alert." He ordered sitting in the captain's chair.

Spock came to stand next to the captain.

"Are you certain that this is the wisest course of action, Captain? Without warp capability, the ship could be at risk." His first officer asked.

"If we can find a way to neutralize the gravity distortions then it won't affect other ships that are passing through the area. Besides…we're explorers. Where's your sense of adventure?" Jim replied playfully, smirking at his frowning science officer.

* * *

Lady A: Chapter 2: Spatial Rift is complete! *giggles* I just got so psyched by this chapter. I could see it playing in my head perfectly. Coming Soon: Chapter 3: Tangled Web!


	3. Chapter 3: Tangled Web

Lady A: And here we are again. Welcome to Chapter 3 of TCC. Last time, the Enterprise discovered a strange spatial rift in an asteroid belt. Let's see what happens! *has an evil gleam in her eyes.*

Lock: *sips her tea* You're doing it again, Watson.

Lady A: What?

Lock: Acting suspiciously. You've done something which is highly unlikely and no doubt proves that your mind is incredibly twisted. *sips tea*

Lady A: May-be. *giggles innocently*

Lock: *raises an eyebrow but continues to sip her tea*

* * *

Chapter Three: Tangled Web

* * *

The Enterprise traveled deeper into the asteroid belt and was nearing the center where the gravitational forces were converging, the distortions around the ship much stronger than before.

"Magnify." Jim ordered the screen zooming in to reveal a spatial rift, a doorway to another dimension.

There was some sort of mechanical module covered in a pulsing biological webbing. The module was maintaining the rift and actually making it larger. If the module was destroyed then the rift would close and the distortions would cease.

"What the hell?" Jim wondered as something moved just within the rift.

"It is a large, biological organism of unknown origin and seems to be in a dimension comprised of a fluidic like space." Spock informed back at the science station, analyzing the creature.

The almost whale like organism shot eight tentacles through the rift and towards the Enterprise, each one implanting into the ship's hull causing the ship to jar about from the impacts.

"How the hell did they bypass the shields?!" Sulu exclaimed as the power began to fluctuate all across the ship, consoles flickering on and off from the power drain.

The ship began to buck, several consoles exploding, and people trying to stay in their seats or dodging sparks and debris.

"Captain, the tentacles are draining power from the ship and shutting down systems along with it. Weapons have gone offline." Chekov stated trying to keep the other bridge systems from failing.

"Transfer to auxiliary power." Jim ordered.

"Auxiliary power is offline." Spock replied.

"Impulse and maneuvering thrusters are down too. If this keeps up, Captain, we're going to lose artificial gravity and life support in under twenty minutes." Sulu continued.

Jim quickly faced his Vulcan science officer.

"Options?" He demanded.

"Removal of the tentacles without power is impossible and there is not enough time to remove them manually. If we remain aboard, we will die when the systems fail." Spock answered quickly.

"Escape pods? Shuttle craft?" Jim replied.

"Negative. With both the organism and the gravitational distortions surrounding the ship, any attempt at fleeing the ship will result in almost immediate death." Spock countered.

No, there had to be a way to come out this alive. He refused to believe in a no win situation. He looked around the bridge and saw the looks of desperation and fear on their faces. He couldn't give up. They were his crew and he was their captain. He will find a way to save them or die giving his all for those he cared for.

* * *

Lady A: Voila, Chapter 3: Tangled Web is complete! Oh yes, I am evil, but fear not. I'm certain something will happen to save the Enterprise and her crew. *grins like the Cheshire cat*

Lock: *shakes her head at her Watson* Leave a review or she just might kill them off. It seems like one of those days. *sips her tea*


	4. Chapter 4: Piss Off

Lady A: And we're back again! This will be my third update in a day! I think that's a new record for me. I've been in a state of inspiration overload since I met Lock. Whew, killer on the fingers but great for all of you.

Lock: All of who, it's just me.

Lady A: *shushes her best mate* They'll be more at some point.

Lock: *snorts*

Lady A: Hey, just because I update like a mad woman for you, doesn't mean I don't want other readers!

Lock: *smirks and crosses her arms* You don't need other readers. You've got me.

Lady A: *sighs and runs a hand through her hair* True. You always leave such fantastic reviews too.

Lock: Naturally. The chapter?

Lady A: Oh right. I kinda forgot. *smiles sheepishly*

Lock: Best get to it before your 'other readers' find you slacking off.

Lady A: *glares* The title will say it all, Lock.

* * *

Chapter Four: Piss Off

* * *

There had to be a way to save his crew. Jim closed his eyes trying to think quickly. There was something he was overlooking, something that would be considered impossible.

'Like you, she doesn't believe in a no win situation and always looks for the craziest solutions that are known and not known to man. She's the impossible woman, capable of doing impossible things.' Pike's voice echoed through his mind.

The energy inside Jim began to build, reacting to his emotions and to his train of thought.

'If you call, I will answer. No matter where you are in the universe, I will come.' Artz's voice whispered in his mind.

'Believe in her, Jim. Never let that faith waver.' Pike's voice continued.

Jim's eyes snapped open as the energy surged forth, making his blue eyes luminescent slightly.

'Artz.' He called out with his mind, the energy reaching out to her across the stars.

Suddenly, Jim could feel her; her mind, her soul, her very essence. It was like she was standing right next to him and he knew everything was going to be okay.

"Sir, I'm picking up another ship heading in this direction at high warp." Sulu informed.

"Uhura, warn them off. Tell them that this area of space is unsafe." Jim ordered glancing back at her.

There was no need for other people to die. His science officer gave him a puzzled look upon noticing the captain's eyes. After a few seconds, his comm officer let out a squeak of surprise.

"What is it?" Jim asked holding onto his chair as the ship shook again.

"I tried to warn them, but they sent a message back for you." She answered.

"What was the message?" He demanded.

His comm officer gave him an incredulous look before responding.

"Piss off." She stated her tone laced heavily with disbelief.

Jim felt a flash of humor inside his mind and he was fighting to keep the smirk off his face.

"Sir, the ship is dropping out of warp and coming into sensor range." Sulu informed.

"On screen." The captain ordered moving over to the helm.

The ship was black and silver with gold trimmings here and there. (A/N: Insert the shape of the Outlaw Star) There was an insignia emblazoned on its side: Twin golden suns with two silver crescent moons curving around the suns, where the backs of the two moons met was a sapphire starburst.

Jim's eyes widened and his mouth fell open in surprise.

"Artz." He said in shock.

The captain felt the energy inside him pulse in response to her name, his blue eyes glowing just a fraction brighter.

* * *

Lady A: Tada! Chapter 4: Piss Off is complete! So the mysterious Artz has arrived on the scene. Will she be able to save the Enterprise crew? *grins like the mad woman she is*

Lock: I think you're high on writing today.

Lady A: When am I not?

Lock: *takes on a thoughtful look then smirks* Fair point, Watson.


	5. Chapter 5: Step On The Brakes

Lady A: Sorry for the wait, but I wanted to write ahead and post several chapters in rapid succession. Why…because Lock is contemplating homicide and to avoid this, I am going to distract her with chapters!

Lock: Let's play a game, let's play murder.

Lady A: *points to her best mate* See what I mean. Hey Lock, new chapters for The Carmine Conundrum!

Lock: *perks up immediately* Stop wasting time, Watson. The game is afoot!

Lady A: *sighs* How Victorian of you? Onto the chapters, folks, while we have her hooked.

Lock: Hm, hooks…meat hooks…*grins evilly*

Lady A: *face palms*

* * *

Chapter Five: Step On The Brakes

* * *

The captain felt the smile forming on his face as he was overcome with a sense of determination and strength…perhaps a wee bit of madness too.

"Open a channel to that ship!" Jim ordered.

The ship lurched again, sending several people to meet the ground quickly, and a few of the consoles sparked wildly and shorted out.

"I can't, sir! Communications just went down!" Uhura cried out as Jim returned to his feet.

Damn it! He needed some way to communicate with her. His frustration caused the energy within him to hum louder in response. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind. It was crazy, it was ludicrous, and he knew it would work.

"Artz, there is a spatial rift being created by some sort of module at the center of the asteroid belt. Destroy the module and the rift will close." He stated to seemingly no one.

His crew looked at him like he had just lost his mind. He felt like he was insane, well partially at least, but it didn't really seem to be a bad thing.

"The ship is moving into the asteroid belt and heading straight for the anomaly." Spock informed his tone holding a slight amount of surprise.

Jim grinned widely, his eyes glowing just a little brighter. The ship bucked around several times as the tentacles detached themselves from the hull of the Enterprise. They were turning around and shooting off towards Artz's ship which the creature must have perceived to be the greater threat.

"Artz, the tentacles are heading straight for you. They'll sap your power if they hit." He warned.

Power returned to the Enterprise and the consoles roared to life as the systems came back on.

"Do we have impulse?" The captain demanded, focusing on his crew for the moment.

"Yes sir." Chekov answered.

"Back us away, Mr. Sulu but keep us close enough to help her if she needs it." Jim ordered.

"Aye sir." Sulu replied pressing a few buttons on the console.

Jim watched in awe as Artz's ship dodged the tentacles by literally stepping on the brakes and sending her ship into a back flip. The tentacles, not having time to adjust their course, collided with the original source and there was a loud screeching sound, making everyone cover their ears for a moment, as the whale like organism retreated deeper into its fluidic dimension.

Artz's ship swung about, placing the module in the direct line of fire of the ship's main thruster array at the back of her ship. The thrusters ignited, heating up the module until it exploded. Artz's ship was propelled forward and was swerving dangerously to miss the asteroids at very high speeds.

Jim felt a sharp pain in his left side, dangerously close to his heart. He glanced down briefly but there was no sign of a wound. His eyes widened when he realized that he was feeling Artz's pain. She must have been injured when the module exploded. He activated the comm on the helm.

"Scotty, get a tractor beam on that ship and tow it into Shuttle Bay Two." He ordered quickly.

"I can't, Captain. She's bucking about too much to get a lock." Scotty replied.

He was right. Artz's ship was all over the place. The explosion must have damaged the stabilizers as well. Damn, couldn't they catch a break already?

"Artz, you need to stabilize your ship long enough for us to lock onto you with a tractor beam." He stated reaching out to her again.

After some rather fancy moves with the maneuvering thrusters, her ship stayed in one place long enough to get a lock and was brought on board.

* * *

Lady A: Chapter 5: Step On The Brakes is complete! Yes, that is a Top Gun reference. 'Step on the brakes and they'll fly right by.' I couldn't resist her being a show off like Maverick.

Lock: *raises an eyebrow* You like to show off as well, Watson.

Lady A: That's the frailty of genius, Lock. It requires an audience. *giggles* Be on the lookout for the soon to be arriving Chapter 6: Shuttle Bay Madness!

Lock: *sips her tea and waits patiently for the next chapter*


	6. Chapter 6: Shuttle Bay Madness

Lady A: *fwap* Chapter 6 is here! Artz finally gets her debut in The Carmine Conundrum! *dances around happily*

Computer: Warning! Long chapter ahead!

Lady A: *blinks* When did I get that installed?

Lock: I thought it would prove useful. *adopts her prayer pose*

Lady A: That's cool, because it is a long chapter. Some stuff decided to be revealed early and of course there were all the explanations and such.

Lock: Well then, shall we get onto the chapter before I kill boy wonder?

Lady A: Good idea.

* * *

Chapter Six: Shuttle Bay Madness

* * *

"Spock, you're with me. Mr. Sulu, you have the bridge." The captain ordered entering the turbo lift with his first officer right behind him.

Once the doors had closed and they were on their way to their destination, Spock turned to the captain.

"Captain, I must inform you that the energy is more active than normal. Your eyes luminescent." He stated.

"Really? Hope they look cool." Jim responded smirking slightly.

"You said Artz several times on the bridge. Who is Artz?" His science officer continued unaffected by his captain's relaxed behavior.

"Remember our shore leave two years go?" Jim asked glancing at the Vulcan a moment.

"Captain, are you suggesting that the crimson haired woman from that night, who implanted you with the energy, is in fact the same person who was the piloting the ship that destroyed the module?" Spock countered.

"Yes, and she's hurt. I felt it when the module exploded." Jim replied pulling out his communicator and flipping it open, "Bones, you and medical team get down to Shuttle Bay Two."

"Aye, Captain." The doctor responded before the captain closed his communicator and pocketed it.

"This Artz is not to be trusted, Captain. We know nothing of her species, planet of origin, or her motives." His first officer warned as the turbo lift opened and they exited.

"That's where you're wrong, Spock. She was friends with Admiral Pike and he sent me a message to be delivered in the event of his death and after my meeting with her. She's half human, other half unknown, but her race is allies with the Federation. Pike told me to believe in her and to take care of her. That's exactly what I'm going to do and until she gives me a reason not to trust her, I'm following Pike's lead. Who knows, maybe if you're nice, she'll answer all the questions you're dying to ask." The captain countered as they neared the shuttle bay.

The sound of phaser fire reached their ears as the pair stopped in front of the doors to the shuttle bay.

"What the hell?!" Jim exclaimed hitting the console next to the archway.

The doors opened to reveal Artz firing two phasers at slug like creatures that were jumping around and spitting acid. She was trying to keep them away from the crew members who were retrieving phasers of their own to combat the creatures. Every time she hit one, it went flying back, only to return seemingly more pissed off than before.

As the crew members finally joined the fire fight, Artz was hit by the acid in her right shoulder causing her to drop the phaser. She quickly retreated to the safety of the crates, where Jim and Spock had moved to earlier to avoid being hit.

"Master Jim." She said tossing the phaser in her left hand to his first officer.

"Lady Crimson." Jim replied smiling widely despite the fire fight happening a few meters in front of them.

She looked absolutely amazing with the exception of her wounds. She was wearing a long sleeved dark red shirt, matching pants and boots, also a dark red leather jacket and her crimson hair was braided down her back in a single braid.

"What are those creatures?" Spock asked breaking through the captain's thoughts.

"What do they look like?" She countered smirking.

"Acid spitting slugs with teeth." Jim answered.

She giggled.

"Close enough. They are one of the many variations of a biologically superior race known to the Borg as Species 8472. They originate from a dimension running parallel to our own and it is a fluidic type space. They seek to invade our dimension and eliminate everything that is biologically inferior to themselves.

Their primary focus of invasion is in the Delta Quadrant as there are several naturally occurring anomalies that could potentially grant them access to our dimension without having to rely on technology. The module was mechanical, most likely it ended up in their space by some botched experiment and they modified it using the biological equivalent of a hacker's patch." She explained.

"They sound remarkably similar to Khan and his quest." Spock commented earning a rather venomous glare from the red head.

"Don't even put him in the same category as these things. They do so because they choose to. Khan only started his little holy war because he suffered from a massive psychological trauma that shattered his mind like it was glass. It was so severe that it warped his entire reality and magnified his core desire to protect his family. He was a good man once, a very good man. A fierce and loyal friend and a damn good leader to his people." She spat, her eyes filled with anger, pain, and guilt.

"You knew Khan, didn't you? Before the experiments?" Jim asked as she winced while trying to move her right arm.

"Yes, I'm a lot older than I look, Jim. Remember what the bouncer said at the club that night, when I lost control?" She countered.

'You're going to trust one of his kind after what the humans did to you, your brother, and your crew?!' The voice dripping in disbelief and hatred.

"Khan, he's your brother and his crew is your crew." Jim stated in shock, the information rattling him.

The woman he had been thinking about for over two years was Khan's sister. He remembered the marks on her back. Could she have been there when Khan broke? Is that the reason why his mind had become so dark? Was she tortured and was that the reason why Khan was the way he was? Why, despite everything Khan had said and done, he had been able to look past his hatred of the man's actions and see the pain that raged inside? Jim had felt something when he had been around Khan that he could never put his finger on, that he could never identify.

"In all fairness, I was adopted. It was my fault. I lost a dear friend because I didn't protect my brother and our family. My brother, the man who saved me and accepted me, became a murderer and the ultimate war machine, because I was too weak to save him." She replied her eyes showing the pain that even after all that time was still raw and bleeding wounds.

Spock's jaw clenched as his anger sparked for a moment, remembering what had transpired with Khan. He took that moment to interrupt.

"We need to destroy these creatures, Captain." He stated giving the red head a look that said he wanted answers.

Her eyes turned hard for a moment before she glanced at Jim and they softened once more.

"Agreed. Jim, inside pocket, left side. There's a tube like device. I need you to pull it out." She ordered.

The captain complied, retrieving the device she had used at the club that night and placing it in her left hand. (A/N: 11th Doctor's sonic screwdriver)

"This is a sonic screwdriver. There is a frequency generating tower that releases energy pulses in tune with the frequency I create with this. These…slugs…are susceptible to a certain frequency of energy that will disintegrate them once activated. In other words, watch and learn boys." She explained before whipping around and aiming the sonic screwdriver at her ship.

The tip lit up with a green light and created a low vibrating noise. The tower lifted up from the hull of her ship and discharged an energy pulse, disintegrating the creatures on the atomic level. She deactivated the screwdriver and placed it in her inner right jacket pocket before moving out to inspect the damage of the area and people.

"Not bad, eh Master Jim?" She asked turning around and sending him a confidant smirk.

This woman was completely mad and he couldn't help but like her. She certainly knew how to liven things up, that's for sure.

* * *

Lady A: Chapter 6: Shuttle Bay Madness is complete! Quite a bit was revealed in this chapter and there is more to come in Chapter 7: Cheating Death! Stay tuned! *giggles profusely*

Lock: *hides her smirk in her tea*


	7. Chapter 7: Cheating Death

Lady A: One more chapter then I have to go write up the next ones.

Jim: She is completely mad!

Lady A: *gives him a dead panned look* We know this already, Captain. Please do not state the obvious.

Moriarty: Can I keep her?

Artz: *stuns Moriarty with a phaser* Never in a million years, you psychopath!

Khan: This is what happens when Lock is not here. It makes for far too much stupid in the room.

Lady A: *giggles* You sound like a certain consultant detective, Khan.

Khan: I don't even know what that is supposed to mean.

Lady A: *falls over laughing*

Everyone: *blinks owlishly*

Lady A: Look at you lot, so vacant. Is it nice not being me? *grins like the Cheshire cat*

Artz: *sighs* Our authoress has gone a bit wibbly. Where is Lock when we need her?

Lady A: *continues laughing like mad*

* * *

Chapter Seven: Cheating Death

* * *

Jim felt the pain lance through him again.

"Artz, we need to get you to sick bay." Jim stated moving forward a little

She smiled slightly.

"Why?" She asked a knowing look in her eyes.

"You were injured when the module exploded. I felt it. It's your left side." He answered.

"Fascinating. You're the one. Chris said you would be…I never believed him. You're really are the one…_my chosen_." She said quietly before falling backwards.

She hit the floor with a thud and a grunt of pain.

"Artz!" Jim yelled as he raced to her side.

He knelt down just as Bones and the medical team arrived. The doctor started scanning her.

"Punctured lung, grazed the heart…well one of them anyway. Not much time." She whispered fighting to keep her eyes open.

Artz, you have to stay awake!" Jim ordered helping the medical team place her on the hover bed.

* * *

Several minutes later in sick bay, Artz lay on a bio bed in critical condition, her vitals all over the place. Bones, Jim, and Spock were off to the side near the doctor's work station.

"She's bleeding internally, her lung has collapsed, and her left heart is irrevocably damaged. Her system can't function properly on one heart alone and without knowing the other half of her species or having a transfusion from both sets of blood, my hands are tied. There's nothing I can do, Jim." Bones informed a look of frustration and uselessness on his face.

He was a doctor meant to save lives and yet he couldn't save the life of the young woman who risked everything to save them. He was beyond angry with himself.

"We can't just give up, Bones. She saved us. The least we can do is save her." Jim replied hotly, his emotions running extremely high.

He couldn't lose her, not now…not when they had just been reunited and he had so many questions. Spock remained silent, knowing that the situation was volatile enough without him adding to the ever growing flames.

"Don't count me out just yet, doc. I have a tendency to do the impossible." Artz said standing in front of the bio bed she had once occupied.

"Artz, you shouldn't be standing!" Jim exclaimed moving towards her but she held up her hand for him to stay back.

"I'm dying…but I can fix that." She stated as a faint orange gold light started to appear from her hands, "See? I have this little trick…sort of a way of cheating death."

The energy started getting stronger and flowed up her neck as well.

"Give you a clue, Doctor McCoy. My other half…is Gallifreyan." She stated smirking.

The doctor's eyes widened to the size of saucers, recognizing the name of the race he had only heard rumors about, and he quickly grabbed Jim and pulled him back.

"Get back!" Bones ordered as the energy erupted from her body.

"What's happening?!" Spock yelled blocking the light from his eyes with his arm.

"She's regenerating!" The doctor answered.

The light vanished faster than it had appeared and she popped forward a bit, her injuries completely healed and her hair slightly longer. She blew it out of her face as she grinned at their shocked faces.

"Hi. The name's Artz. I come from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Casterberus. I am over a thousand years old and I've saved your lives and every member of your crew from hostile aliens wanting to invade our dimension from fluidic space. I think that covers everything, don't you agree?" She proclaimed crossing her arms closer to the end and jutting her right hip out in a sassy manner.

"Over a thousand years old?!" Jim exclaimed astonished.

She rolled her eyes.

"Of all the things I have said and done, it's my age that surprises him." She commented with an exasperated sigh, "Why do humans always have that reaction? What's it like in your funny little minds? It must be so boring."

The three men simply stared at her, sporting fish out of water looks…even the Vulcan. She waited patiently for them to get over their initial shock and for the barrage of questions that was sure to follow.

* * *

Lady A: Chapter 7: Cheating Death is over and done with it. I really loved this chapter. It was so much fun to write and type. *giggles like a mad woman* Coming soon: Chapter 8: The Honor of Bones!


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